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Uprooting the Old Guard: Can Nepal’s Youngest Cabinet Ever Break an Entrenched Kleptocracy?
In Nepal, corruption has morphed into sophisticated, institutionalized kleptocracy. It is a system through which the state’s structures, culture, and hierarchies are engineered to serve a parasitic elite. For decades, the arbitrary conduct of our leaders and a systemic lack of accountability has shattered public trust. But now, a new Gen-Z movement, catalyzed by years…
Read MoreNadie migra con la voz intacta
“¿Y si intentamos convertir sus historias en canciones?”. Lanzamos la pregunta al aire en nuestro salón de trabajo, que en realidad era la capilla de la Casa del Migrante Arcángel Rafael, donde decidimos desarrollar el proyecto. No hubo demasiado entusiasmo al responder. Algunas personas rieron, como diciendo “eso no es para mí”; otras se miraron…
Read MoreNo one migrates with their voice untouched
“What if we tried turning your stories into songs?” We threw the question into the air in our workspace, which was actually the chapel at Casa del Migrante Arcángel Rafael, where we decided to develop the Music4Change pilot. The response was far from enthusiastic. Some people laughed, as if to say, “That’s not for me.”…
Read MoreInterview with Josh Lerner, Co-Executive Director, People Powered
In my consultations on global democracy over the past year, people repeatedly pointed to mistrust in institutions, a disconnect between elites and citizens, and the sense that democracy doesn’t deliver as key drivers of democratic erosion. Participation is often presented as the magic bullet on the assumption that more participation naturally builds trust. To dig…
Read MoreRebuilding Ukraine: Integrity, business, and the hard trade-offs
As Ukraine continues to navigate the realities of war and the long road toward reconstruction, questions about integrity are no longer abstract. They sit at the center of how markets function, how reconstruction funds are used, and how businesses make decisions in environments shaped by uncertainty and risk. In a recent episode of the AccountabiliTea…
Read MoreMeeting the moment – from disruption to recombination
This brief reflects on how Accountability Lab responded in practice in 2025 during the year following the Democracy, Rights and Governance (DRG) aid cuts. It documents a set of choices made under constraint—about where to act, how to stay connected, and what capacities mattered most when familiar assumptions no longer held. What follows distills a…
Read MoreTheir examples point the way: Celebrating the two dozen groups (so far!) in the Civil Society Wayfinder campaign
As big donors and NGOs work to reimagine this sector, we’re celebrating groups whose approaches we believe already embody the principles emerging in high-level discussions and reports, such as an investment in youth leadership, a focus on narrative power, and the development of stronger information ecosystems and decentralized funding networks.
Read MoreAL is hiring a Data and Research Associate
Position Title: Data and Research Associate (Business Development & Civic Strength Partners Implementation) Location: Remote or hybrid (preferably in a country where Accountability Lab operates) Reports to: Global Head of Development (matrix report to Civil Strength Partners Lead) Type: Full-time, 12-month renewable contract About Accountability Lab Accountability Lab (AL) is a global translocal network that…
Read MoreReimagining democracy support in times of crisis
The recent “When Aid Fades” report by the Global Democracy Coalition serves as a stark reminder that funding cuts to civil society aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet. They represent a systematic weakening of the global democracy ecosystem—one that has stripped protections from human rights defenders, undermined independent media, and emboldened authoritarian regimes that now…
Read MoreThe future of governance support depends on what we choose to see
Rebalancing toward the relationships, translation work, and bilingual soft infrastructure that make democratic practice possible. Across conversations with practitioners, funders, researchers, and colleagues working on democracy, governance and civic space, the same diagnosis keeps surfacing. It’s no longer tentative; it’s becoming a quiet consensus: We need to rebalance away from technocratic prescriptions and toward…
Read MoreIntroducing our new Country Director in Mali
Accountability Lab Mali is announcing a leadership transition as our current Country Director, Doussouba Konaté, steps down from her role. After several years of consistent service to a growing team, Ms. Konaté is passing the responsibilities to Deputy Director Habibou Diaou. Ms. Konaté joined Accountability Lab in 2018 and has made significant contributions to the…
Read MoreLeadership and Partnership in Security: The Leading Role of Civil Society
As global instability deepens – from hybrid warfare and disinformation to climate shocks and civic repression – the link between democracy and security has never been clearer. Speaking at a high-level roundtable on “Leadership and Partnership in Security: The Leading Role of Civil Society,” Blair Glencorse, Co-CEO of Accountability Lab, reflected on how leadership, trust,…
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